Revolving spice tray



Oct. 22, 1929. c. E. ARTHUR 1,732,298

REVOLVING SPICE TRAY Filed Feb. 10, 1925 26 l m-fl w J 7: 33 .11, Z .2o 23\ 3 x I; 9 I3 I INVENTOR. CHARLES EARTHuR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented a. 22. 1929 UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. ARTHUR, OFOAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOB TO BENJAMIN R. DEX- H l TEB, OF OAQ KLAND, CALIFORNIA -REVOLVING SPICE TRAY Application filed February 10, 1925. Serial No. 8,158.

My invention is an improved revolving display tray adapted for store or domestic use to hold canned goods, fruit jars or carton goods or the like. A purpose of my invention is to place the goods on a tray, in an annular groove holding the bottom of the goods and have a lid with an annular groove to engage the tops of the goods, with a recess in the lid whereby the goods may be withdrawn 1 from the tray. These trays may be separate units or may be installed in cabinets or formedinto a revolving rack or arranged to form sectional units which may be built up to adapt it to a articular place.

In the speci 0 form shown the revolving tray has an annular groove in its upper surface of sufficient width to hold the base of the goods: and the lid has an annular groove in its lower surface to engage the top of the goods. In this manner the tray may be revolved to display the goods without danger of them falling off the -tray. A recess is formed in the front of the lid, leading into the annular groove so that the goods may be lifted slightly to clear the edge around the groove in the tray, whereby they may be removed.

My, invention will be more clearly understood from the following specification and accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is an elevation of my invention in the form of a cabinet, showing an upper tray in section.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section of Figure 1 on theline 2-2 showing the top of one of the lid parts of a tray.

Figure 3 is an elevation of my invention in the modified form of revolving rack ada ted to be supported by a central post and a tog bracket secured to a wall.

igure 4 is a plan view of the structure 0 Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an elevation of my invention in the form of independent units which may be built up to form a stand vertically or horizontally as shown in dotted lines.

Referrin to the drawings :the shelves 1 are prefera ly made of wood andmay be in the form of disks orrectangular, butit is to desirablethat they be disksto revolve in a merely be of sufliclent depth to allow an artiplay tray, above described, is as follows :5-

by rotating the shelves until the desired one .4 a post 20 is supported'from the floor, Where smaller cabinet than would be required by rectangular boards. The shelves 1 have a central aperture 2 forming the axis on which they revolve on the pins 3' (Figs. 1 and 2). These pins are rigidly supported by lid boards 4 which are nailed or otherwise secured to the body of the cabinet walls by -5' fastening devices 6. Between the top surface of the lid board 4 and the bottom surface of g the shelf 1 I preferably use an anti-friction bearing, formed of balls 10 held in a ball cage 11. If hard wood is used for the lid and shelf element no ball racewillprobably be required; however plates 12 and 13 may be secured to these elements to form a ball race. The top of the shelf is retained by the head of the pin 3.

4 Each shelf has an annular recess 15 of sufficient width to hold the article to be supported thereby: and each lid has, on its lower surface a similar recess 16. The lid has a segment 17 out away-from its periphery leading to the recess 16. This segment may extend completely through the lid board, or may cle to be lifted off a shelf. A door 18 may be secured to one of the walls. of the cabinet to form a closure.

The manner of use of the revolving dis- Articles, such as canned goods, fruit jars, cartons, etc., are loaded on the shelves by inserting the tops of the articles in the cut out segment 17, which allows them to be inserted into the recess 15 of the shelf. The shelf is rotated until the whole of the annular recess is filled and-the tops of the articles are retained in place by the recess 16 in the lower surface of the lids. The articles are removed is adjacent the cut out segment 17 when it may be removed. 1

In the construction shown in-Figures 3 and it may be fixedly mounted or have a pivotal hearing 21. The top of the post is shownheld by a bracket 22- fastened to the wall 23. The lid boards 4 are shown supported by the post by angular collars 24, which may be fastened tothe post by set screws 25. The

shelves 1 are carried by the ball hearings or may be revolved to a desired position. Each individual shelf 1 may be rotated to load or remove goods through the cutout segment 17 in the manner above described,

In the construction of Figure 5 a built up unitary plan is adopted showing two'trayelements forming a unit 30. These are added to in the manner now common with sectional bookcases or the like. This arrangement could be used with one tray unit forming a section. The shelf 1 is supported on the base board 31 in the manner shown in Figures 1 and 2 and the lid element is fastened to the top board or may form the top of the sectional case itself.

My invention may be modified to suit spe cial uses or to enable it to be made of material other than Wood, such as all metal, part metal or with glass shelves and lid elements. Instead of having an annular recess 15 in the shelf elements a series of circular or other holders could be used; moreover it is not necessary that these be recessed.

Having described my invention what. I claim is 1. A device of the type described comprising a support, a supporting shelf secured to said support, and having an annular groove therein, and a lid having an annular groove therein, the grooves of said shelf and the lid facing each other and being adapted to receive articles of merchandise, said lid havingaradially extending groove therein in communication with said annular groove for perg itting the removal of articles of merchanise.

2. A device of the type described comprising a frame, supporting members carried by said frame and having annular grooves therein, shelves rotatively carried by said supporting members and having annular grooves therein, the grooves in each pair of members and shelves facing each other for receiving articles of merchandise therein, said members having radially extending cutaway portions communicating with said grooves for permitting the removal of the articles.

a 3. A device of thetype described comprising aframe, supportingmembers carried by said frame and having annular grooves therein, shelves rotatively carried by said supporting members and having annular grooves therein, the grooves in each-pair of said members having radially extending cutaway :portions communicating with said grooves for permitting the removal of the articles, and means for rotatively carrying said frame.

4. A plurality of sectional containers adapted to be built up one upon another, or to be disposed side by side, a supporting shelf rotatively disposed in each container, and having an annular groove therein, the top of each container having an' annular groove,

and a radially extending recess communicating with said groove, the grooves in said shelves and in the tops of-said containers facing each other.

5. A device of the type described comprising a supporting shelf, said shelf having an annular groove therein, a cover having an annular groove therein, the grooves of said shelf and cover facing each other and-being adapted to receive articles of merchandise therebetween, said cover having a radially extending groove therein communicating with the annular groove in said cover for permitting the removal of articles of merchandise.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CHARLES E. ARTHUR. 

